Dumpton is a day school for girls and boys aged 2½ – 13, yet still retains much of the atmosphere of the days when there were boarders too. The Headmaster and his family live in the school and the pastoral care and attention readily given to all pupils is still considered to be of paramount importance. Founded in 1903 the school takes its name from Dumpton House, near Broadstairs. The outbreak of World War II saw the evacuation of the school to Dorset where it still resides in quiet, rural surroundings.

ADMISSIONS

Registration

A non-returnable fee of £50 per child is charged when a child is registered with the school. Please complete and return the enclosed Application Form, together with the Registration Fee, to the Headmaster.

Entry in to the Prep School

There is no entry exam but all children are informally assessed before the offer of a place is made, to ensure that they will be able to cope with the curriculum.

Confirmation

A deposit of £250 per child is payable when the offer of a place at the school is accepted. This will be returned to you upon settlement of all outstanding monies when your child leaves the school. Should you withdraw your child before they take up their place, the deposit will not be refundable, except on medical or compassionate grounds.

PHILOSOPHY

Dumpton aims to educate children in a supportive, caring environment, within a framework of family and Christian values, stressing the importance of teamwork and mutual respect at all times. Rule number one is ‘Treat others as you would like them to treat you’.

All children are expected and encouraged to fulfil their potential. Given the excellent facilities and high staff to pupil ratio, Dumpton is well-placed to aim for high academic and extra curricular standards.

In addition we want to help children develop a clear sense of right and wrong, to become confident communicators and to appreciate the importance of good manners, friendliness and tolerance.

The atmosphere in school is cheerful and positive, created by the strong relationships between adults and children, and between the children themselves. Great emphasis is made of the fact that a child who is happy and enjoys being at school is far more likely to do well.

ACADEMIC

Throughout the school the children experience a balanced curriculum along with opportunities to enjoy a host of leisure and sports activities. We endeavour to keep them all busy and involved, well fed and active.

Dumpton is divided into a Pre-Prep (from Nursery to Year 2) and a Prep School (from Year 3 to Year 8). There are strong ties between the two, with the Head of Pre-Prep attending Senior Management Team meetings and Heads of Departments in the Prep School, liaising with teachers in the Pre-Prep regarding schemes of works, resources and enrichment activities.

The school shadows the National Curriculum and children are assessed at the end of Key Stage 1 and again at the end of Key Stage 2. Most children go on to take the Common Entrance Examination and/or Scholarships to Senior Independent Schools or the Entrance Tests to Grammar School.

Academic progress is monitored carefully. Weekly staff meetings provide useful insights and, in the Prep School, effort grades are given four times a term. These reflect how hard a child is trying rather than where he or she may be in the class. Attainment is also assessed twice a term, once internally to help us track individual pupils, and once for reporting to parents at the end of term.